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September 21, 2007 > News > White dispels leadership myths

White dispels leadership myths

By Sarah Rutledge | Thresher Editorial Staff

Contrary to the popular notion that a leader must be charismatic, loud and wealthy, true leadership comes in less obvious forms, Houston Mayor Bill White said in his speech Wednesday.

Speaking as part of the International Leadership Competency Forum at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, White began by dispelling societal misconceptions about what it takes to be a leader.

“Pop culture often confuses leadership with celebrity or wealth, or where you stand in a hierarchy,” White said.

In fact, he said the qualities that make a person well known will not make them a leader. The most important qualities for leadership are not necessarily the most publicized and most appreciated ones, he said. Intelligence and academic proficiency, while valuable assets, are overrated leadership qualities, and trustworthiness and reliability are more important, White said.

“You’re much more likely to succeed as a leader if the people around you are rooting for you to succeed,” he said.

White said leadership styles are highly influenced by one’s parents and the leaders one observes. If people do not deliberately develop a leadership style, they will begin to copy what they see. He said he reads about his political heroes for guidance.

Understanding others and building interpersonal relationships are indispensable aspects of being a leader, White said.

“What I tend to find… is people who have developed the faculty of public service are people who can relate [to others],” he said.

Baker College freshman Cindy Dinh said White’s speech largely focused on the qualities of leadership that specifically worked for him.

“He tears down the stereotypes of what leaders are,” she said. “They’re not always assertive, or the loud ones. They’re not always the most intelligent ones, either. They’re well-rounded in the sense that they have these features that will help them. They’re competent, and that’s the main point.”

White stressed the importance of lifelong learning by continuing to research unfamiliar areas even after one has graduated college. Comprehensive knowledge of particular areas of business proves invaluable at work, White said.

Striking the right balance in one’s life is also crucial to success, White said. He attends leadership training to help him balance time with friends along with maintaining physical and spiritual well-being.

“[Leaders are] in these [programs] because these are things people have left behind along the way,” he said.

On the subject of networking and how it has helped his career, White said such connections are crucial for success. However, the approach one takes in establishing these personal connections must be genuine, he said.

“If you are thinking of getting into a network, you’ll find yourself with a Rolodex, not knowing how to use it,” he said.

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